Breast Cancer Surgery
Surgery for breast cancer, planned around your tumour and your life. Includes lumpectomy and mastectomy, with reconstruction discussed up front rather than as an afterthought.
Surgery for breast cancer, planned around your tumour and your life. Includes lumpectomy and mastectomy, with reconstruction discussed up front rather than as an afterthought.
What is breast cancer surgery?
Breast cancer surgery sits at the centre of breast cancer treatment for most patients. The choice between lumpectomy (removing the lump and a margin around it) and mastectomy (removing the whole breast) depends on the size and location of the cancer, your breast size, your preferences, and what other treatments are planned.
The aim is two-fold: clear the cancer with safe margins, and leave a result that lets you live well — physically, emotionally, and aesthetically. We talk through both before any decision is made.
Surgery is rarely the only treatment. Chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, targeted therapy, and radiation may be part of the plan before, after, or instead of surgery, coordinated with the medical and radiation oncology teams.
Who this is for
- A new lump in the breast or underarm, even if it's painless
- A change in size, shape, or contour of the breast
- Skin changes — dimpling, puckering, or redness over the breast
- Nipple changes — inversion, discharge (especially bloody), or scaling
How it's done
Pre-surgical workup
Imaging (mammogram, ultrasound, sometimes MRI), a tissue biopsy to confirm the diagnosis, and tests to rule out spread elsewhere. We then sit down together to walk through the findings before deciding what surgery makes sense for you.
The operation
Lumpectomy is breast-conserving — the cancer plus a margin around it is removed and the breast is reshaped to match. Mastectomy removes the whole breast, sometimes with immediate reconstruction in the same operation. Either way, lymph nodes under the arm are checked using sentinel node biopsy.
After surgery
The tissue goes to pathology, which takes 5 to 7 days for the full report. We meet again to review margins, lymph nodes, and the next step — radiation, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, or follow-up.
Recovery & aftercare
First few days
Most patients go home within 24 to 48 hours after lumpectomy, 2 to 4 days after mastectomy. There may be a soft surgical drain in place for a week or so to prevent fluid build-up.
Returning to normal
Light routine activities resume within 1 to 2 weeks. Heavy lifting, gym, and demanding office work usually wait until 4 to 6 weeks. The arm on the operated side needs gentle exercises early, which we'll teach you.
"I do breast cancer surgery the way I'd want it done for my own family — with the cosmetic plan made before I open the skin, with reconstruction discussed on day one rather than offered as an afterthought, and with the medical and radiation oncology teams already in the conversation. Cancer surgery alone isn't enough; the long-term result is what matters."
— Dr. Anukriti Sood
Questions worth asking
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. The decision depends on the cancer type, size, lymph node status, and a panel of tumour markers we get from the pathology report. We have this conversation with you and the medical oncologist after surgery once the full report is in.
Not always. For most early breast cancers, lumpectomy with radiation gives the same long-term outcome as mastectomy. Even when mastectomy is the better choice, immediate reconstruction is usually possible, often in the same operation.
Lumpectomy with sentinel node biopsy: about 1.5 to 2.5 hours. Mastectomy: 2 to 4 hours, longer if reconstruction is being done at the same time.
Recurrence depends on the stage, biology of the cancer, and the completeness of the treatment plan. Most early-stage cancers have excellent long-term outcomes. We schedule structured follow-up to catch any issues early.
Related care
All specialitiesBreast Conserving Surgery
Surgery that removes the cancer but keeps the breast. The shape, the symmetry, the way it sits in clothes — these are things we plan for, not things we hope for.
Learn moreOncoplastic Breast Surgery
Combines the cancer surgery with the plastic-surgery technique that closes it well. One operation, one recovery, with the cosmetic result built in from the start.
Learn moreSentinel Lymph Node Biopsy
Checks the one or two lymph nodes the cancer would reach first, before doing anything more. If they're clear, the rest stay where they are. Most patients keep full arm function and skip the swelling that used to come with bigger surgery.
Learn moreThe first consultation
is the first step.
Most concerns can be settled in a single, considered conversation. Reach out — answers usually come faster than you’d expect.
Hours
CK Birla Hospital
Mon – Sat: 10 AM – 3 PM
Clinic
Mon – Sat: 5 PM – 7 PM
Sunday: 8 AM – 10 AM
Visit
Medical D/C Center, Kalwar Rd,
Jhotwara, Jaipur 302012